Plug control means

ABSTRACT

A STUFFER CRIMPER HAVING A TUBE FORMING A CRIMPING CHAMBER AND CARRYING A CORE OF CRIMPED YARN. A SENSING DEVICE IN THE FORM OF A STRIP OR OF ONE OR MORE WIRES RESTING ON THE TOP OF THE CORE OF YARN IN THE TUBE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THROUGH SLOTS IN THE TUBE AND JOINED TO AN EXTERNAL RING WHICH RISES AND FALLS WITH THE CORE. A WINDER IN THE FORM OF A DRUM JOURNALED ON A CONSTANTLY ROTATING SHAFT AND DRIVEN THEREBY THROUGH A CLUTCH WHICH IS ACTUATED BY SAID FELLER IN A SENSE TO MAINTAIN THE CORE AT A SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT LEVEL IN THE TUBE.

Jun'e 15, 1971 E. TORELLO-VIERA 3,584,357

PLUG CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A rroRlV E7 June 15, 1971 E. TORELLO-VIERA 3,584,357

PLUG CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 1971 E. TORELLO-VIERA 3,584,357

PLUG CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 15, 1971 E. TORELLO-VIERA 3,584,357

PLUG CONTROL MEANS Filed Jan. 31, 1969 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. l3

INVENTOR EUGENE TORE LLO VIERA ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,584,357 PLUG CONTROL MEANS Eugene Torello-Viera, Claymont, Del., assignor to Joseph Bancroft & Sons, Wilmington, Del. Filed Jan. 31, 1969, Ser. No. 795,464 Int. Cl. D02g 1/12 US. Cl. 281.7 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stuffer crimper having a tube forming a crimping chamber and carrying a core of crimped yarn. A sensing device in the form of a strip or of one or more wires resting on the top of the core of yarn in the tube and extending outwardly through slots in the tube and joined to an external ring which rises and falls with the core. A winder in the form of a drum journaled on a constantly rotating shaft and driven thereby through a clutch which is actuated by said feeler in a sense to maintain the core at a substantially constant level in the tube.

This invention relates to yarn winders or the like and more specifically to a drive mechanism for a winder and to a sensing device responsive to the level of the core of yarn in a core tube.

An object is to provide a mechanism of the above type wherein the winder drum is driven intermittently through a clutch which is actuated in response to a function of the yarn feed.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the above type wherein the drum is mounted on a shaft common with a series of like drums and each drum is individually driven intermittently through a clutch which is actuated in response to a function of the yarn feed. A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above type for use as a take-up for extracting yarn from the core crimped yarn in a stutfer crimper which has constant speed feed rolls.

Another object is to provide a sensing device for a stutter crimper having novel and improved characteristics.

As a feature of the invention, the winder drum is driven from a constantly rotating shaft through a clutch mechanism which is actuated by a sensing device designed to maintain the delivery end of the core of crimped yarn at a substantially constant level.

Another feature of the invention is a sensing device for sensing the core of crimped yarn in a stuifer crimping tube, the core contacting portion of which extends outwardly through slots in the crimper tube so as to eliminate the possibility of pinching the yarn between the device and the inner surface of the tube. The device is so disposed that the outwardly extending portion actuates a control element for the take up drive or for the feed roll drive.

Various other features and details of construction will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

The invention will be better understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view partly in section of a winder embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of the apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cage sensing device for actuating the control mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a partial longitudinal section showing the 3,584,357 Patented June 15, 1971 upper end of a crimper tube having a modified form of sensing device;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 5 illustrating a further modified type of a sensing device;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a section similar to FIG. 5 illustrating a still further embodiment of a sensing device and showing two positions in which the sensing elements can be positioned;

FIG. 10 is a transverse section taken on the line 1010 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a section similar to FIG. 9 illustrating still another embodiment of a sensing device and showing two additional positions of the sensing elements;

FIG. 12 is a transverse section taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a modified form of sensing device;

1 FIG. 14 is a section taken on the line 1414 of FIG.

3; and

FIG. 15 is a sectional view, similar to FIG. 14, illustrating a further embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings more in detail one feature of the invention is shown as embodied in a winder for extracting and winding 21 crimped yarn from the core of crimped yarn in a stutfer crimper chamber. The stutter crimper may be of standard type including a crimping chamber in the form of a tube 10 into which a yarn is fed by feed rolls to be folded over and crimped against a core 11 of previously crimped yarn in the tube. Such a stuffer crimper is shown by way of illustration in Us. Pat. No. 3,200,466.

The discharge end of the crimping and setting tube 10 is shown in the drawing, it being understood that the core 11 of crimped yarn is formed in the tube 10 in the manner shown in the above mentioned patent or in similar known apparatus having feed rolls driven at a constant speed.

In accordance with the present invention the yarn 12 is shown as withdrawn from the core 11 onto a package 13 which rests on and is driven by a driving drum 14.

The drum 14 comprises a cylinder 18 carrying a pair of internal rings 19 which provide additional weight for inertia purposes. The cylinder 18 is journalled on a constantly rotating shaft 20, which is shown in FIG. 1 as common to more than one winding unit, by means of a pair of bearings 21 and 22 having outer races 23 and 24 fitted in housings 25 and 26 which are press-fitted within the cylinder 18 and having inner races 27 and 28 disposed on the shaft 20 and fixed thereon by set screws 30- and 31.

A friction disc 32 is attached to the housing 26 and forms one element of a driving clutch 34. A spline 33 fixed to the shaft 20 projects beyond the disc 32 and carries a sleeve 35 which meshes with the spline for rotation therewith and is axially slidable thereon. The sleeve 35 is formed with a radial face 36 which constitutes the driving element of the clutch 34 and is adapted to engage the friction disc 32 when in advanced or driving position and to be retracted therefrom for disengaging the clutch.

A collar 41 is journalled on the sleeve 35 by a bearing 42. A yoke 43 is pivoted to the collar 41 by cone point screws 46. The yoke 43 is carried at one end of an arm 47, the other end of which is pivoted at 48 for swinging movement in a direction to engage and disengage the disc clutch.

The arm 47 is actuated by the core 50 of a solenoid 51 through a spring 52. A return spring 53 retracts the arm to disengage the clutch when the solenoid is deenergized. The solenoid is connected to be energized or deenergized by a switch 55 having a control pin 56 which is actuated by a wire 57 pivoted at 58 and positioned to be engaged by a ring 60 forming a part of a sensing device 61 which rises and falls with variations in the level of the core 11 of crimped yarn in the crimping tube 10.

As the amount of crimped yarn in the tube increases, the sensing member rises until the ring 60 thereof engages the wire 57 and pushes the same outwardly to close the solenoid switch 55 and energize the solenoid 51 to engage the clutch 34 and cause the cylinder 18 to be positively driven by the rotating shaft 20. The winder 14 thus withdraws the yarn 12 from the core 11 until the level of the top of the core falls to a point such that the ring 60 of the sensing gage releases the wire 57 and allows the switch 55 to open. When this occurs the arm 47 is retracted by the spring 53 and the clutch is released. However, the inertia of the drum 14 and of the package causes the winder to continue to rotate, but at a decreasing rate until the level of the core rises sufliciently to re-engage the clutch. The winder thus fluctuates in speed between the full rate of the driving shaft 20 and a decreasing rate determined by the inertia of the parts and the length of time between clutch engagements. The level of the core is thus maintained substantially constant and within the range required to engage the wire 57.

In order to stop the feed in the case of a yarn breakage, a stop switch 70 is mounted adjacent the tube 10 and is actuated by an arm 71 which is located at a point above the wire 57. The arm 71 is positioned to be engaged and actuated by the ring 60 of the cage in the event the core should rise above the prescribed level and is connected to stop the feed rolls so as to interrupt the operation until the yarn breakage has been corrected.

In some instances it has been found desirable to prevent the winder from actually coming to rest between driving impulses. The deceleration depends upon several factors such as the inertia of the parts, the driving speed, and the dwell between driving impulses. If there is too great a change in speeds between the driving and nondriving periods and the clutch engages rapidly, an excessive torque may be applied at the instant of closing. In order to avoid this an intermittent pulsing mechanism may be provided for engaging the clutch periodically during the normally open periods. Such a mechanism is shown as comprising a motor 76 mounted on a bracket 75 and driving a shaft 79 carrying a gear 77 which meshes with a gear 78 on a shaft 79 carrying a rotating cam 80. The cam 80 is disposed to actuate a mercury switch 82 through an actuating arm 81 so as to close and open the switch 82 periodically in a predetermined timed cycle. The switch 82 is connected in parallel with the switch 55 and when closed, energizes the solenoid 51 for engaging the clutch 34 for driving the roll 18.

When the switch 55 is closed the clutch 34 remains engaged and the second switch 82 is ineffective. However, when the first switch 55 is open the second switch 82 causes the clutch 34 to be periodically engaged in a cycle which is selected to prevent the roll 18 from coming to rest between impulses of the control switch 55.

The sensing device 61 is shown in FIG. 3 as comprising a pair of spaced rings 60 and 64 which are adapted to slide over the outer surface of the tube 10 and are joined by a plurality of wires 62. These wires extend substantially vertically between the rings 60 and 64 with their central parts bent inwardly to extend through a series of vertical slots 59 in the upper end of the tube 10 in the zone of the discharge end of the core 11. The wires 62 thus converge at their centers to form a sensing device of hour glass shape, the lower part of which rests against the sides of the core 11 at its leading end so that the device rises and falls with the end of the core.

The construction is such that the sensing device may be relatively light in weight, or may be of a heavy material, depending on the back weight desired, and is adapted to apply a controlled back pressure on the core. Additional weights may be applied to the sensing device for 4 this purpose if desired. The rings 60 and 64 have a small clearance with the outer wall of the tube 10 and are positioned to engage wire 57 as explained above when the sensing device rises in accordance with the quantity of crimped yarn in the tube.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 the crimping tube 10a is identical with the tube 10 of FIG. 3 except that a pair of slots are disposed diametrically on the tube near its discharge end and in the zone of the end of the core 11. The sensing device is composed of a flat strip 91 extending through the slots 90 and having flanges 92a at its end to hold the strip in position as it rises and falls on the core 11. The strip 91 is formed with straight edges 93 forming an inverted V having an arcuate apex 94 to avoid injury to the yarn. The sensing device rests against the discharge end of the core 11 and the outer flange 92a is disposed to engage and actuate the switch arm 57 in the same manner as the ring 60 shown inFIG. 3 for controlling the winder in a sense to maintain the core 11 at a substantially constant level.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 the crimping tube 10a is formed with a pair of slots 90 as in FIGS. 5 and 6 and the sensing device is in the form of a wire which is bent to form a pair of straight, upwardly inclined portions 101 which extend through the slots 90 and rest against the sides of the core 11 at its leading end in the tube 10a. The upwardly inclined portions 101 are followed by outwardly extending portions 102 which extend outwardly through the slots 90 and join a flat top portion 103 to form a pair of symmetrically disposed loops. The lower ends of the wire are bent into a pair of opposed semi-circular portions 104 which extend around the outside of the tube 10a for guiding the sensing device as it rises and falls with the crimped core 11. The outer loop portions 102 of the device are disposed to engage and actuate the switch arm 57 as in FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 the sensing device is composed of a split block having two halves 110a and 11% clamped together by bolts 111 and having a bore to receive the tube 10a so that the block 110 is free to slide vertically on the outside of the tube. A pair of bent wire sensing elements 112 are adjustably positioned and clamped between the parts of the block 110. Each element is composed of a straight portion 112a and a curved portion 112b forming in effect a semi-circular element having an opening through which the clamping bolts extend and which has sufficient clearance with the bolts to permit adjustment of the position of the elements.

FIG. 9 illustrates various positions in which the elements 112 may be set. In the full line position of FIG. 9 the portions 112a are disposed in the form of an inverted V which rests against the sides of the core 11 at its leading end. The angle of the V may be selected as desired and the lateral spacing of the elements may be varied. The dotted position shows the elements 112 set with the portions 112a substantially horizontal and in line.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 the sensing device is composed of a split block 110 having two identical halves 110a and 110b clamped together by adjusting studs 211 and nuts 213. In this embodiment the pair of bent Wire sensing elements 212 are welded to the studs 211 and extensions 214 of studs 211 are flattened, as at 215. These flattened portions in combination with the welded sensing wires facilitate adjustment of the latter.

In FIG. 11 the elements are disposed with the curved portions 212!) at the bottom to contact the core 11. In the full line position the elements are upwardly inclined and in the dotted position they are substantially horizontal. Obviously the elements may be set at any intermediate position as required in any particular instance.

Regardless of the setting, the block is adapted to engage and actuate the switch arm 57 as it rises and falls with the core 11. The remainder of the mechanism in connection with the various embodiments of FIGS. 5 to 12 may be the same as that of FIGS. 1 to 4.

The sensing device, in all of the forms above described, provides a thin strip or one or more wires which rest upon the upper end of the core 11 with a minimum area of contact. Hence a large part of the upper surface of the core remains exposed and free of any mechanical impedance to withdrawal of the crimped filament. The friction drag of the sensing device on the yarn is reduced to a point such that no substantial variations in tension occur as the yarn is withdrawn by the winder. While the sensing elements extend entirely across the tube they are shaped to rest primarily on the yarn at the periphery of the core and the top surface of the core builds up into a conical form conforming to the shape of the under surface of the contacting strip or wires of the sensing element. Since the sensing element is freely slidable along the tube with the core as the latter rises and falls throughout its range of movement.

Since the portions of the sensing elements which contact the end of the core extend outwardly through slots in the crimper tube to guide and position the device, there is no point within the tube where the yarn could be pinched between the device and the Walls of the tube. The withdrawal of the yarn from the end of the core is thus facilitated and the tendency for yarn and filament breakage is correspondingly reduced.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14 the crimping tube 120 is shown as having a bore 121 in its lower portion of smaller diameter and a bore 122 in its upper portion of larger diameter meeting in a shoulder 123. A sensing element 124 has an outer cylindrical surface 125 fitting loosely in the upper bore 122 of the tube 120 and has an inner coned surface 126 tapering upwardly to a central opening 127 and having at its lower end a diameter at least equal to the bore 121 of the tube 120. A pair of pins 128 extend outwardly from the cylindrical surface 125 of the sensing element 124 through longitudinal slots 129 in the tube 120. A bracket 130, adjustably mounted on the tube 120 carries a microswitch 131 having an actuating arm 132 in the form of a wire ending in a loop 133 which extends loosely around the tube 120 and rests upon the projecting portions of the pins 128 so that the switch 131 is actuated by the vertical movement of the sensing element 124. The remaining parts of this embodiment are the same as those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. In this embodiment the conical inner bore 126 extends over and around the top portion of the core of crimped yarn 134 in the tube 120. The diameter of the lower portion of the conical bore is such that the top portion of the core enters the bore and assumes a similar tapered form from which the crimped yarn is extracted through the center opening 127. The yarn is not impeded at the point of extraction from the core. Hence, it is pulled out of the tube with a minimum of tension and does not contact a heated surface which would tend to iron out the crimp. Also the sensing device is extremely light in weight and does not introduce appreciable back pressure onto the core.

Obviously the tube 120 may be made of a uniform inside diameter if desired, in which case the diameter in the lower end of the coned interior of the sensing element should be such that it spans the top of the core and rests around the upper end of the core as distinguished from resting on the upper surface of the core. The upper end of the core is confined within the coned interior of the element.

It is to be understood that the microswitch 131 is connected to control the rate of the feed rolls or the rate of the delivery means in a sense to maintain the core at a substantially constant level.

The embodiment of FIG. 15 is generally similar to that of FIGS. 13 and 14 except that the sensing element is somewhat longer and extends above the top of the crimping tube 140. The tube is formed with lower and upper bores 141 and 142 meeting at a shoulder 143 and the sensing element 145 has a cylindrical outer surface 146 extending upwardly above the top of the tube 140. The element 145 is formed with a lower coned inner surface 147 terminating in a central bore 148. A flange 149 extends around the outer surface of the element 145. This flange 149 is adapted to rest upon the top of the tube 140 to form a lower stop to limit the downward movement of the element. A bracket 150 is adjustably mounted on the tube 140 and carries a microswitch 151 having a control wire 152 ending in a loop 153 which extends loosely around the element 145 and rests upon the upper surface of the flange 149. The operation of this embodiment is similar to that of FIGS. 13 and 14 described above.

What is claimed is:

1. In a stuffer crimper including a member having walls forming a crimping chamber and having means feeding a yarn for crimping into one end of said chamber to be folded over and crimped against a core of previously crimped yarn therein and to advance the core along said chamber to a discharge point, a sensing device having a lower portion disposed entirely within said chamber and extending around the upper end of the core and forming a recess into which the cOre extends and having a central opening through which the yarn is extracted from the upper end of said core, said sensing device being adapted to slide along said chamber in response to the rise and fall of said core.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the lower surface of said sensing device is cone shaped and has a diameter suited to span the upper end of said core.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the upper portion of said chamber in which said sensing element slides has a diameter greater than the lower portion of said chamber and the recess in said sensing device has a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the lower portion of said chamber.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said sensing device carries a flange adapted to seat against the upper end of said chamber to limit the downward movement thereof and a feed control member has an actuating element resting upon and actuated by said flange as the sensing element rises and falls.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,338,914 1/1944 Esser et al 24235.6 2,740,992 4/ 1956 Shattuck 281.7 2,837,291 6/1958 Baumann et al. 24237 2,854,729 10/1958 Russo et al. 28l.6 3,121,540 2/1964 Furst 24235.5 3,200,466 8/1965 Duga et al. 281.7 3,353,242 11/1967 Schrader 281.6

LOUIS K. RIMRODT, Primary Examiner 

